Select Local Merchants

Fernanda's International Market, a treasure trove of rare ingredients and made-to-order gourmet sandwiches, bakes robust breads and fine pastries. Among a troop of hearty sandwiches, the Martorano ($8.99) stands out for its spicy temper and muscular blend of sopressata and cappacola meats. The Churchill ($8.99) loads its taste gun with Branston pickle relish and fights hunger pangs on ham-coated beaches, cheddar cheese fields, and hot mustard streets. Fernanda's also sells prepared food by the pound and hard-to-find international groceries like Thai lemon grass.

When it opened in 1950, Mike's Cigar Bar kept its entire stock in a cozy 1,800-square-foot storefront. These days, however, the store doesn't just sprawl its wares across a 17,000-square-foot space. Instead, the staff splits its time showcasing the millions of cigars in its store and recommending the perfect drinks to go with the cigars in its connected lounge. The space is an ode to smoking rooms of years past, albeit updated to include modern amenities, such as the widescreen televisions showing sports events. The lounge also plays host to frequent events throughout the year, including tastings.
Although the lounge may be the place to linger, most guests still spend a bulk of their time perusing the store's expansive cigar inventory, which includes more than 300 cigar brands—everything from Rocky Patel to Mike's Cigars' flagship 898 Collection. Besides individual stogies or five-cigar samplers, Mike's stocks humidors, cutters, and accessories.

The first ever Bricktoberfest launches an annual celebration of live music and craft beer in the Brickell neighborhood. From afternoon until night, 10th Street reverberates with tunes from live bands, and fills with vendors serving food from local restaurants and pouring more than 75 craft beers. For an hour before the event, VIP visitors gather for an advance tasting of the festival's beers—which include brews from Shipyard, Magners, Cigar City, Due South, and Stella. At the end of the evening, a party at Fado Irish Pub keeps attendees grooving with DJ-provided beats and beer competitions, such as a race to see who can drink their beer the most carefully and responsibly.

Groups of women gather at the South Florida Women's Expo for a night dedicated to them. Vendors showcase feminine-friendly wares, which women browse while sampling wine and food. Chefs are on-hand to whip up delectable recipes for galleries of onlookers, models strut the fashion show runway in the latest couture, and psychics predict which attendees will have trouble remembering where they parked their car. A select few will win prizes such as spa packages, jewelry, and exclusive trips.

The breadth of the Atlantic Ocean doesn't impact the reach of Alfredo Patino. As the chef and owner of Bin No. 18, the Miami-based chef draws inspiration from the casual cuisine of European bistros while using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and contemporary technique to lend a bit of New World flair to the ever-changing menus. French, Italian, and Latin American flavors appear throughout Chef Patino's cuisine, adding a global scope to the regionally rooted dishes.
Shareable platters of imported European cheeses and cured meats are served alongside Latin staples, including octopus salad, as well as classic Italian entrees made with homemade pastas. But recreating time-honored classics isn't the only thing that Chef Patino does. He also demonstrates a willingness to experiment by fusing New and Old World influences. This culinary whimsy is evident in the kitchen's modern interpretation of a Cuban sandwich—complete with slow-roasted pork, brie, and fig sauce—which earned a spot on Food & Wine magazine's list of the Best Sandwiches in the U.S.
And much like the European bistros that originally inspired Chef Patino, Bin No. 18 features an extensive wine list. Like his menu, the wine list takes a global approach by including bottles from Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Hungary, Greece, and Austria, as well as Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Washington State, California, and Oregon. This variety of options ensures that numerous pairing options are available for diners looking to enjoy a glass with their meal or collection of small plates. CBS Miami was also impressed by the selection, placing Bin No. 18 on its 2011 list of the Best Wine Bars In South Florida.
The Old World inspiration shines through a bit more clearly in the restaurant's décor, which skews more toward a rustic, yet refined ambiance as opposed to a nouveau vibe. Wooden wine barrels sit beside tables with avocado-green chairs, occasionally doubling as small side tables. At the same time, the collection of crystal chandeliers dangling from the ceiling adds a bit of classical elegance to the space.